WEBVTT NBC FIVE NEWS IS FOCUSING ON A NEW INIATIVE THIS YEAR -- CALLED PROJECT COMMUNITY. WE'RE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE -- WHO ARE FOSTERING CONVERSATIONS TO BRING NEIGHBORS TOGETHER. NBC FIVE'S JACKIE PASCALE IS AT THE LIVE DESK -- WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT ONE VERMONT ORGANIZATION IS DOING. JACKIE? IT'S AN ORGANIZATION GOING ON 40 YEARS OF WORKING TO UNITE THE COMMUNITY OVER SOME KEY ISSUES. HERE'S A LOOK AT THE PEACE & JUSTICE CENTER. RACHEL SIEGEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PEACE & JUSTICE CENTER 2:10:02 IT'S A WAY OF GIVING PEOPLE THE SKILLS AND THE MOTIVATION TO THEN TAKE ACTION AROUND ISSUES THAT THEY THINK ARE WORTH ADDRESSING THE PEACE & JUSTICE CENTER HAS ITS HANDS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS -- FROM ITS STORE ON LAKE STREET IN BURLINGTON...TO EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS... TO SOCIAL JUSTICE PROTESTS ON ISSUES LIKE IMMIGRATION. ALL THE INVOLVEMENT BOILS DOWN TO ITS KEY VALUES. 2:07:52 FAIR TRADE, RACIAL JUSTICE AND NONVIOLENCE THE CENTER WORKS WITH OUTSIDE GROUPS -- PUSHING FOR CONVERSATIONS TOWARD CHANGE. 2:12:20 EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO BRING GROUPS TOGETHER WILL MAKE US STRONGER IN RESISTANCE AND REBUILDING A DIFFERENT WORLD 2:12:32 WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO WE 90% AGREE WITH SIEGAL SAYS THE CENTER SERVES AS AN OPEN SPACE FOR DIALOGUE... EVEN FOR PEOPLE WITH OPPOSING BELIEFS. 2:13:13 ADDRESSING CONFLICT IS VERY MUCH A PART OF NONVIOLENCE WORK. IT'S NOT ABOUT AVOIDING CONFLICT, IT'S NOT EVEN NECESSARILY ABOUT CONFLICT RESOLUTION BUT ENGAGEMENT THE INITIATIVES START SMALL... BUT THEY CAN HAVE A GLOBAL IMPACT. 2:11:40 AS THINGS IN OUR COUNTRY HAVE GOTTEN MORE BLATANTLY DIVISIVE AND MUCH SCARIER, FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE, IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DEVELOP THE CAPACITY AND THE SKILLS TO TAKE ON THOSE ISSUES IN A NONVIOLENT WAY THE NEXT BIG EVENT THE PEACE & JUSTICE CENTER IS PROMOTING -- THE WOMEN'S MARCH IN MONTPELIER. THAT'S LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY... THE CENTER ALSO HAS A BUS GOING TO D-C FOR THE BIG MARCH IN THE CAPITAL-- SIEGEL SAYS THERE ARE SOME SPOTS LEFT FOR THAT. REPORTING FROM THE LIVE DESK, JACKIE PASCALE, NBC FIVE NEWS. NEWSCHANNEL 5

On a mission to create a just and peaceful world, the Peace & Justice Center in Burlington has been embracing several key issues throughout its 40 years of operation.The center works with other organizations to push for fair trade, racial justice and nonviolence. It does this by creating community events to advocate for its causes and educate the public. "It's a way of giving people the skills and the motivation to then take action around issues that they think are worth addressing," said executive director of the Peace & Justice Center Rachel Siegel. "Everything we can do to bring groups together will make us stronger in resistance and rebuilding a different world."Siegel calls the center a space for open dialogue, even for those with opposing views."We're able to work with people who we 90 percent agree with," she said. "Addressing conflict is very much a part of nonviolence work. It's not about avoiding conflict. It's not even necessarily about conflict resolution, but about conflict engagement."Even from small initiatives and workshops, Siegel said real global change can spark. "As things in our country have gotten more blatantly divisive and much scarier for certain people," Siegel said. "It has become increasingly important that we develop the capacity and the skills to take on those issues in a nonviolent way."The next big event on the center's community calendar is Women's March Vermont, which will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the State House. The center also has a bus going to Washington, D.C. for the Women's March in the capitol.

BURLINGTON, Vt. —

On a mission to create a just and peaceful world, the Peace & Justice Center in Burlington has been embracing several key issues throughout its 40 years of operation.

The center works with other organizations to push for fair trade, racial justice and nonviolence.

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It does this by creating community events to advocate for its causes and educate the public.

"It's a way of giving people the skills and the motivation to then take action around issues that they think are worth addressing," said executive director of the Peace & Justice Center Rachel Siegel. "Everything we can do to bring groups together will make us stronger in resistance and rebuilding a different world."

Siegel calls the center a space for open dialogue, even for those with opposing views.

"We're able to work with people who we 90 percent agree with," she said. "Addressing conflict is very much a part of nonviolence work. It's not about avoiding conflict. It's not even necessarily about conflict resolution, but about conflict engagement."

Even from small initiatives and workshops, Siegel said real global change can spark.

"As things in our country have gotten more blatantly divisive and much scarier for certain people," Siegel said. "It has become increasingly important that we develop the capacity and the skills to take on those issues in a nonviolent way."

The next big event on the center's community calendar is Women's March Vermont, which will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the State House.